User blog:John Pan/XM517 Annihilator
XM517 Annihilator There is no such thing as “overkill.” There is only “sufficient casualties” and “reload.” -Anonymous MLRS systems win over howitzers in specific situations because they can put down immense amounts of fire on a target in the shortest amount of time. (Of course, they have to reload afterwords). Although MLRS systems' immense range is covered by advanced 155mm howitzers, the immense amount of fire are not. Until now. Crew Composition *Commander/ Gunner *Driver All occupants sit in AMAP-MPS blast-protected seats to absorb the shock energy of a blast. Sensory The Annihilator gets a computerized indirect sight, complete with GPS assistance. The driver gets day/night cameras in addition to the standard bulletproof-glass peepholes. The tank commander also gets an independent E/O sensor suite, which even has a small optical rangefinder, with two small peepholes situated on either side of the sensor stack. A GPS Blue-force-tracker is standard. Upgrades None. Armament XM1087 (1) The XM517 is called the Annihilator for a reason. It carries an XM1087 10-by-4 tube 60mm Metal Storm weapon system. Back before the GNC, when the Metal Storm came out, it shocked the world with one million rounds a minute. However, it's practical uses were few; the original idea of using it as a CIWS—by just dumping a ton of rounds in the general direction of the enemy—was just “a really fast way to waste ammo.” Now, taking a look at what else also just dumps a ton of rounds in the general direction of the enemy—MLRS. Inside each 2-meter-long tube are five electrically-triggered caseless-charge 60mm mortar shells, for a total of 200 mortars. Reaching out to a maximum of 5 kilometers, the weapon can dump all 200 rounds in extremely tight succession—about 30,000 rpm. The Annihilator holds two full reloads internally. Can raze a 50m-by-200m area. Upgrades Incendiary Payload Loads half of all 60mm mortar shells with a napalm. Burning at 1000 degrees Celsius, napalm burns for long periods of time and is very effective against foliage, buildings, and infantry. Can create temporary area denial zones for infantry. SMArt-60 The problem with small mortar rounds is that tank crews think that it's just rain—before they open the hatch and take a peek at their surroundings, that is. Problem solved. The Sub-Munition Artillery-60 is an IR-homing 60mm tandem HEAT warhead. Relatively inexpensive, these things fall by the hundreds, and can rip through 200mm RHAe with ease. Most tanks don't even have half that amount on their roofs. Microwave Cannon The newest development in crowd control, the Microwave Cannon is a small turret top-mounted directed energy weapon that has two modes: Low and High. With low, the cannon barely penetrates 1/16 of a human being's skin (right about where the pain receptors are) and can simulate being burnt alive. With high, the cannon can make a human being achieve spontaneous combustion—after being boiled to death first, that is. The weapon can easily penetrate any non-metal material, making sandbags or brick walls a bad place to hide behind. Makes infantry think three times before engaging the Annihilator. Maximum range 100m. Protection The XM517 is protected by multiple AMAP modules. The base AMAP modules protects the tank from 40mm APFSDS rounds, while additional AMAP-B plating on the front arc can resist 120mm M829A4 rounds. RPGs are countered by AMAP-P, cluster-munition explosively formed penetrators are defied by AMAP-R, and 100kg IEDs feel like running over a bump, thanks to AMAP-M. To reduce the brunt of penetrating projectiles, AMAP-L is applied to the inside of the crew compartment. Last but not least, it has an AMAP-ADS suite that blows up guided missiles. Upgrades ElRA ElRA, or Electro-Reactive Armor, is and advanced from of projectile-defeating reactive armor. Found as bolt-on-and-plug-in tiles, ElRA defeats penetrating projectiles by vaporizing them. Yes, vaporizing. It consists of two copper plates, insulating foam, a voltage convertor, and a direct power line to the vehicle. Once a projectile penetrates the outer copper plate and closes the circuit between the two copper plates, 60,000 volts of electricity is instantly dumped into object, vaporizing it outright. ElRA vastly increases the Annihilator's survivability. DTHEL The Defensive Tactical High Energy Laser is the miniature version of the original THEL, mated to a search radar and a LADAR targeting suite. The relative low-powered deuterium fluoride chemical laser pumps out just enough energy to fry a shell or a rocket or a missile at one kilometer—under perfect conditions. DU Inserts An ultra-dense insert to literally flatten kinetic penetrators, sheets of Depleted Uranium can be inserted between the AMAP modules, vastly improving resistance to APFSDS ammunition. Mobility The Annihilator is powered by a 40.0 liter Direct-injected supercharged (mechanical air compression) diesel W-16. The engine is a four-bank W (or double V) configuration engine, essentially two V-8s bolted together. This design allows it to contain a high number of cylinders in a relatively compact space. Coupled to an electric generator, the engine's 1,500 horsepower is converted into electricity, which is either stored in the tank's massive lithium-polymer battery block, or used in the tank's four drive-sprocket hub motors, which deliver 300hp each. It can move the 50-ton tank at 100 kilometers per hour on paved roads, and, thanks to its advanced hydropneumatic “kneeling” suspension (that be used to lower the vehicle from 60cm of ground clearance for cross-country maneuvering to 10cm for hull down) 75 kmph on rough terrain. The engine is encased in IR-opaque materials, and its exhaust is both muffled and cooled. Upgrades None. Category:Blog posts